Private MD News

Researchers identify symptoms of 'male menopause'

Category: General Health

Researchers from Imperial College London have identified a set of symptoms that, in addition to testosterone testing, are sufficient for diagnosing "male menopause."

As media attention has begun focusing on the phenomenon and doctors across the country are prescribing more and more testosterone therapy, the team of investigators sought to produce a set of definitive guidelines for diagnosing late-onset hypogonadism, which has come to be referred to as male menopause.

For the study, researchers measured the testosterone levels of 3,369 men and asked them about their sexual, physical and psychological health. Out of 32 potential candidate symptoms, the study found that only nine were associated with low testosterone.

The symptoms included in the diagnosis ranged from physical limitations like an inability to engage in vigorous activity, loss of sex drive - including deceased frequency of sexual thoughts - and psychological changes such as sadness and fatigue.

While the study found that only two percent of men tested actually suffered from low levels of the hormone, lead investigator Fred Wu said that testosterone testing will continue to be important because the condition can underlie many other serious diseases.